Sicily 1956

The idea for this blog entry all started when while sitting around killing time. I decided to check out the little town in Sicily that my family originally hails from. Cannicattini Bagni. I've been there twice, once in 1956 and then again in 1966. In 1956 it seems most of my immediate family went. It included my mother's brother, Sam and his wife, my mother's sister and my little cousin Maria. We, my parents and I stayed for almost two months partly because I came down with scarlet fever. I was four and a half. I remember being in a darkened room surrounded be everyone. The doctor would come to give me a shot. I would pretend to be asleep to avoid the shot. But I digress, obviously I recovered.

So back to our story. I found the little town and stumbled upon Google street view. I knew exactly where my grandfather's house was because the back of the church, situated on the main drag of this little town, was up the street a bit from my grandparents house. I tried to post the street view from here but was unsuccessful but I do have pictures.
The red dot is where the little town is located.

 

 Below is a picture of the church that I got off the web.

 

  I have to admit that it was neat to see the front of the house the window of the bedroom that I slept in, and the steps that we were photographed on.  

 Below is a slideshow from the 1956 trip. I don't remember who everybody was but I do have many memories of the first and second trip. Both my grandmothers passed in 1957 and both my grandfathers were born in 1887 and lived to 1982. In some of the pictures I'm wearing a golden wings pin given to me by someone from TWA. I was also very impressed with the airplane we flew to Rome on... well actually in, as George Carlin once said, "...let the daredevils get on!" before we went to Sicily. The TWA Constellation.

Alrighty then, here's the slideshow from 1956. The music you hear was something I was fooling around with about 10 or 12 years ago until my ancient recording device, it used cassettes, bit the big one. I never liked the middle part and came up with another bit and an ending but when it came to recording it all it was too late. What you end up with here is the first recording and the last bit tacked on with the moviemaker. I make no great claims as a guitar player or as a musician in general. I did it just for fun. Back in 1968 I wanted to be Eric Clapton but it turns out there already was one. 



Below is a picture from 1966 of my middle sister sitting on those very same steps with one of the neighborhood kids.

 

All through history Sicily has been conquered by everybody and his brother I imagine because of it's strategic location in the Mediterranean Sea. From the Spanish, the Greeks, the French, people from the Middle east, Northern Africa and of course the Romans. It didn't become officially a part of Italy until 1860. I suppose I should get my genetics done just to see what I exactly I am composed of. I know one thing I can tan up a storm. I wish I could make money with my ability to tan. I remember back in 1971when I started at the company that I eventually retired from, I worked a black gentleman, Joe. I had taken a week off and spent it in Gloucester, at the beach, at my friend's family cottage. It was a hot and sunny week and I had tanned up quite dark and when I went back to work Joe was duly impressed. Joe and I had many laughs at the customers expense, not to their faces, that's not good for business, but I'm sure that anybody who is involved with any customer service job has their share of stories.    

 

Back in the 1920's both my grandfathers came to America to work. My father's dad came alone and my mothers dad brought his wife. My mother was born in the U.S. along with her brother and sister. My dad was born in Sicily. Everybody went back in the late 1930's, then the war broke out. After the war all the offspring came back to the U.S in 1948 0r '49. I was the first born of my generation.

 

Below is a picture my father took back in 1968 when my dad went back alone. That's his father, his sister and somebody else. Right to the right of my grandfathers head is the back of the church. This is taken right in front of the house. Apparently there was some kind of street fair going on.

 

 

 

Below is a picture of both my grandfathers at one of their farms.

 

 Back in the late 1970's my parents and my aunts and uncles got a calls from Italy telling them that the grandpa on the right, (maternal side) was getting a little confused and wandering around. His children decided to bring him to the United States. He would spend 4 months at each of his children's homes. I think I've told this before but I still get a chuckle when I think about this particular incident. At this time he was staying at my parents house. My two sisters and I happened to be there. My mother was washing some dishes and she was trying to convince her father that he was in America. Granddad thought he was still in Italy. He would say things like, translated of course, "What do you know about America?! I was there!"

My mother would say, You're in America! You're in Boston!" Well pretty close anyway.

Granddad replied, "I was in America! In Boston!"

Mother, "You are in Boston!"

Granddad, I've been in Boston! I speak English!"

Mother, "You speak English?! Let's hear you speak English!"

Granddad picks up a spoon and proudly says, Spoondella!" 

We all had a good chuckle.

 

Ok it's time to wrap this extravaganza up.

I'm outta here.